Twitter hunts app-making, security-boosting techies

Twitter is looking to hire engineers that will enable it to develop revenue-generating services and improve its security.

The popular micro-blogging site is advertising for 27 positions which, if filed, would expand its headcount by approximately 20 per cent. Engineering and software developer functions account for around 20 of the positions on offer.

Two of the jobs have specific security remits: "Manager, Network and Infrastructure Security" and "Software Engineer - Anti-Spam." Twitter was the target of numerous hacking attacks and security scares last year, in part because of its rise in popularity. There's no good reason to think there will be a let-up this year, so whoever fills the security manager role will need balls of steel as well as the requested Unix and network security skills.

Other vacant positions that catch the eye include Product Marketing Manager and three software engineers for monetisation. Twitter's most obvious routes towards bringing in some money includes selling advertising or licensing its API to mobile application developers, but other business models may emerge. Twitter has already stuck high-profile deals with Google and Microsoft.

Biz Stone, Twitter co-founder, recently spoke of the possibility of selling paid-for commercial accounts to business while retaining a free service for consumers.

Plans to expand Twitter's headcount are viable thanks to a September 2009 funding round that brought in more than $35m from venture capitalists, including Insight Venture Partners. ®